Delta Airlines grounded their MD-80 fleet yesterday. They're taking another look at their wiring . This action was driven bythe same FAA audit which led American to ground and reinspect their MD-80's. A statement by Delta said that the wiring of the auxiliary hydraulic system was the culprit.

The Aux Hyd system runs while the aircraft is at the gate. That way, you can flush the toilet and stuff. It is not a safety of flight issue.

The FAA announced that it will release its findings on its month long audit of the airline industry's maintenance documentation.

26 March 2008

If you have a ticket on American Airlines today you might want to hit the book shop.

You're not going anywhere soon.

American Airlines, the world's largest carrier, canceled 200 flights today to re-inspect wiring in Boeing Co. MD-80s after federal regulators raised questions during a maintenance audit. American had previously complied with the directive but a recent the FAA audit called documentation into question.

The grounding in voluntary and represents about 9% of American's fleet. It is a response to an Air Worthiness Directive issued by the FAA. AMR, the parent company of American has issued the following statement.

"We are reinspecting the MD-80s to make sure the wiring is installed and secured exactly according to the directive."

The inspection deals with spacers and positioning of wire bundles. The exact function of the wiring was not disclosed and does not pose a safety of flight issue.

The FAA issues Airworthiness Directives on a regular basis to alert carriers of potential problems before they effect safety of flight. American's action today represents a pro-active response to the FAA's increased scrutiny following the recent grounding of the Southwest Airlines grounding of its 737 fleet.

American predicts that the inspection will be completed today and the aircraft will be returning to service throughout the day.

Within the industry the MD-80 is referred to as the "Death Trap". Since entering service in 1980 the manufacturer, McDonald/Douglas and then later Boeing, has modified the design to ensure that deficiencies have been reduced or eliminated.

11 March 2008

DAYTON, Ohio- The F-117 Stealth Fighter, made famous in Desert Storm will be retired today in a ceremony at Wright-Patterson AFB. The aircraft will be moth balled at a classified site. The aircraft will be replaced by the F-22.Farewell "Unexpected Guest".

09 March 2008

Have you flown on Southwest airlines lately? Everything okay? What luck!

On March 6, 2008, the FAA levied Southwest with a 10.2 million dollar fine for failing to inspection as many as 117 737's for as long as 30 months.

The inspections centered around early detection of skin cracking. Anyone remember Aloha Flight 243 . The one that suddenly offered patio seating in first class?

Calling it "one of the worst safety violations" he has ever seen, Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minnesota, is expected to call a hearing as soon as possible to ask why the airline put its passengers in danger.

But Southwest Airlines -- which carried more passengers in the United States than any other airline last year -- said there was never a flight safety issue.

"The FAA penalty is related to one of many routine and redundant inspections on our aircraft fleet involving an extremely small area in one of the many overlapping inspections. These inspections were designed to detect early signs of skin cracking," the airline said in a statement Thursday evening. Read Southwest's entire response.